Orthopedic appliance



July 12, 1927. 7 J. Mom's 635 798 ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE Filed Feb. 9. 1925 lNvENToR Patented July 12., 1927. '2

UNITED STATES HARRY J. ivroams, or IPASADENA, CALIFORNIA.

ORTHOPEDIC APPLIANCE.

Application filed February 9, 1925. Serial No. 7,915.

This invention relates toa brace for the correct1on of either bow-legs or knock-knees,

as the appliance is so constructed that it can be used for either, and has, for one of its ob 5 jects, to exert constant force tending to straighten the limb, as the wearer stands or walks, or while lying with the limbs in an extended position, and provide a knee-joint that will permit of free pivotal action under 1 stress.

A further object is to provide a construction that will relieve the force or tension upon the limbs when the knees are flexed and the limbs form a right angle, as in a sitting 1 posture; also, to embody the desirable features of simplicity, strength and lightness.

With these objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel and useful features of construction and combination of parts, as

90 herein described and claimed; and in order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure" 1, is a vertical side-view embodying the invention as applied to the limb.

Figure 2, is a view of the invention show-- ing it applied to the limb, as in sitting posture.

Figure 3, is a front view of the invention.

Figure 4, is a fragmentary, enlarged, perspective view of the pivotal connection in detail.

In the said drawing, 1 indicates the thigh member, and 2, the shin member of an orthopedic appliance called a limb straightener,

said members being pivotally connected at 8. 3 indicates spring steel strips formed in a curve to meet the contour of the circumference of the leg and attached transversely 49 to opposite ends of said thigh and shin memhere for the purpose of attaching pads l. 5

also indicates thin spring steel strips, as described above, for the purpose of attaching straps 6 thereto, by which the appliance is attached to the leg through the medium of a buckle 7.

Portion 1 and portion 2 are constructed of high-grade spring steel, of approximately /1000 inch in thickness and 1; inch in 59 width, formed in a longitudinal curve and pivotally connected at 8 to allow free articulation while walking, but at the same time said pivotal connection is under constant side stress as the curvature of the appliance is to be applied diametrically opposite, that of the leg,where upon it is then sprung in to meet or conform to the longitudinal curvature of the leg and held in that position through the medium of straps 6, thuscausing a constant pullingforce diametrically against the longitudinal curvature of said leg, tending to straighten same.

To allow the pulling force on straps 6 to be relaxed for the purpose of giving relief to the wearer without necessitating the removal of the appliance from the limb, the knee-joint, Fig. 4-, is provided with suitable 'shaft 9 which transpierces portions 1 and 2 with suitable heads 10 securely mounted on either end thereof, portion 1 extending downwardly beyond shaft 9 and terminating in a curve 11 for abutment against portion 2 and portion 2 extending upwardly beyond shaft 9 and terminates in curve 12 for abutment against portion 1 for the purpose of' exerting pressure on shaft heads 10. The bores or passages 13 should be suificiently large to permit the shaft 9 some latitude, thus allowing slide movement to portions 1 and 2 when the knee-joint is bent to a right angle which will allow both portions 1 and to lie close to and follow the general contour of the wearers knee 14.

From the above description it will be apparent that I have produced an orthopedic appliance having external strap connections for continuously exerting pulling force against longitudinal curvature of the leg of the wearer to straighten same as a whole, and by which the tension can be quickly and effectively relieved when desired by bending or flexing the knees to a right angle, and

while I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that I reserve the right to make all changes falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A limb straightener comprising a thigh member and a shin member pivotally connectecl together to constitute a knee-joint, said knee-j0int having a suitable shaft mounted in borings in both thigh and shin members with suitable heads mounted on either end of said shaft, said shaft being long enough and said borings being large enough to permit lateral movement on said shaft of both thigh and shin members when said knee-joint is flexed, forming a right angle; said thigh member extending somewhat below said pivotal c nnection and e ding in 11011111111 111 11111 111 13 111 111.1111 1111;:11 111111 $11111 1111 11111012 111111 1 1111111111 11191111.; 1110111111111 1111 1 1111121011 1 01 1 11111 1111111 111 1111111 $111111 811111 111111 1111 11 111011111115 10151 1111 1. 1111! 1111111 111111 111111111 1111 11111118 101111111 :1 111111111 1 01111111 11 1111 (truss-1mm 1111111 1111111111111 1111 1111111 1111111 :11111 1111111 1111 111111 11: 111111 01111 211 111 1110011 11110 01111- 10111. 01 1111.1 1111011111101111101: of 1110 1139; 01' 1111* 1111111111 111111 1r111'1'y1ng straps 10 011011110 11111 1111 01110 11111 911111 1111111111 sec1i1011 forcing 11; 11) 1111111111111 10 111111 01 811111 11111, which 111311111151 11 (011S1T21111 111111 1111 811111 1111111111.

HARRY J. 11 101111151. 

